CHAPTER V.THE SURPRISE PARTY
OldMother Kit-Cat sat knitting as usual one evening and her needles went “click, click, click,” when “a rap-a-tap” was heard at the door and in walked Grandpa Growler saying,
“A surprise party, a surprise party,Here I am alive and hearty.”
“A surprise party, a surprise party,Here I am alive and hearty.”
“A surprise party, a surprise party,Here I am alive and hearty.”
“A surprise party, a surprise party,
Here I am alive and hearty.”
Old Mother Kit-Cat’s eyes got as big as saucers and she said, “I am afraid you let the Cat out of the Bag that time Grandpa. Who told you about a surprise party?”
Grandpa Growler replied,
“I say such funny things most of the time,Whether I’m talking in prose or in rhyme.”
“I say such funny things most of the time,Whether I’m talking in prose or in rhyme.”
“I say such funny things most of the time,Whether I’m talking in prose or in rhyme.”
“I say such funny things most of the time,
Whether I’m talking in prose or in rhyme.”
He growled so pleasantly at that, that the Three Little Kittens got the very best rocking chair for him and the hair-cloth footstool, and said, “Sit here, grandpa, in the rocking chair by the fire.”
Old Mother Kit-Cat was wondering if he was really only joking about a surprise party when “rap-a-tap” was heard on the door and the Three Little Bears came in.
They cried out,
“A surprise party we think very good,We are the Three Bears that live in the woods.”
“A surprise party we think very good,We are the Three Bears that live in the woods.”
“A surprise party we think very good,We are the Three Bears that live in the woods.”
“A surprise party we think very good,
We are the Three Bears that live in the woods.”
They had no sooner seated themselves on three little stools by the fire when “rap-a-tap,” sounded on the door again.
Old Mother Kit-Cat straightened her cap and called.
“Come in, come in, the hearth is wide,There’s room for one and all inside.”
“Come in, come in, the hearth is wide,There’s room for one and all inside.”
“Come in, come in, the hearth is wide,There’s room for one and all inside.”
“Come in, come in, the hearth is wide,
There’s room for one and all inside.”
They all held their breath for no one came in this time.
The Three Little Kittens whispered to each other “What if it should be the Three Little Foxes coming in next? What if it should be the Three Little Foxes who stole our mittens?”
The Three Little Curly-Tails came in next, with a hop and a skip and a bound.
The next minute there was heard a great rumbling and tumbling and Grandpa Growler, who stood with his eyes to the key-hole said, “Some one is coming in a wheel-barrow.”
Then the whole company shouted,
“Oh Grandpa Growler, the secret is out,’Tis Mother Catastrophe, without a doubt.”
“Oh Grandpa Growler, the secret is out,’Tis Mother Catastrophe, without a doubt.”
“Oh Grandpa Growler, the secret is out,’Tis Mother Catastrophe, without a doubt.”
“Oh Grandpa Growler, the secret is out,
’Tis Mother Catastrophe, without a doubt.”
Sure enough, Old Uncle Mouser was wheeling Old Mother Catastrophe nearer and nearer every minute.
He kept saying over and over, “I hope no one has taken my red plush-lined basket, I hope no one has taken my red plush-lined basket.”
They came in, and Old Mother Catastrophe shook the dust off her fur and whiskers and she said every one looked to her as big as life and twice as natural.
Then the Ground-Hog came in muttering about his shadow, but the Beaver sent a note of regret for he was too shy for company.
I do not suppose they would have had a bit to eat for refreshment if The Little Old Man of the Fire had not been there.
He sang to the Three Little Kittens so softly that no one else heard,
“Coffee, some sugar, and tea will do,Make up some cookies and rich pies too.”
“Coffee, some sugar, and tea will do,Make up some cookies and rich pies too.”
“Coffee, some sugar, and tea will do,Make up some cookies and rich pies too.”
“Coffee, some sugar, and tea will do,
Make up some cookies and rich pies too.”
The Three Little Kittens went hurrying and scurrying into the kitchen.
They ran this way, and that way, cooking tea and coffee and mixing up cookies and pies.
The Three Little Foxes wearing three pairs of mittens danced up to the window and said,
“You cannot cook, for so we’ve heard,Three Little Kittens, ’tis quite absurd.”
“You cannot cook, for so we’ve heard,Three Little Kittens, ’tis quite absurd.”
“You cannot cook, for so we’ve heard,Three Little Kittens, ’tis quite absurd.”
“You cannot cook, for so we’ve heard,
Three Little Kittens, ’tis quite absurd.”
The Three Little Kittens were so surprised that they dropped their three little spoons into their three little bowls, but the Little Old Man of the Fire said, quite as though nothing had happened.
“MOST ANYTHING YOU’LL LEARN TO DO,IF YOU WORK TO MAKE THE WISH COME TRUE.”
“MOST ANYTHING YOU’LL LEARN TO DO,IF YOU WORK TO MAKE THE WISH COME TRUE.”
“MOST ANYTHING YOU’LL LEARN TO DO,IF YOU WORK TO MAKE THE WISH COME TRUE.”
“MOST ANYTHING YOU’LL LEARN TO DO,
IF YOU WORK TO MAKE THE WISH COME TRUE.”
Now the Three Little Foxes danced this way, and that way, and came up again to the kitchen window.
The Three Little Foxes shouted,
“More sugar, more spice,Make everything nice.”
“More sugar, more spice,Make everything nice.”
“More sugar, more spice,Make everything nice.”
“More sugar, more spice,
Make everything nice.”
They troubled the Three Little Kittens so they could not think straight to save their lives.
The Little Old Man of the Fire suddenly darted through the open door shouting,
“I’ll burn your bushy-tails ’tis true,Come on, I’ll run a race with you.”
“I’ll burn your bushy-tails ’tis true,Come on, I’ll run a race with you.”
“I’ll burn your bushy-tails ’tis true,Come on, I’ll run a race with you.”
“I’ll burn your bushy-tails ’tis true,
Come on, I’ll run a race with you.”
The Three Little Foxes could feel the Old Man’s hot breath and they scampered off as swiftly as the wind.
The Little Old Man of the Fire shouted,
“I can travel even faster,And I’ll bring you a disaster,Take off the mittens, take off the mittens,For they belong to Three Little Kittens.”
“I can travel even faster,And I’ll bring you a disaster,Take off the mittens, take off the mittens,For they belong to Three Little Kittens.”
“I can travel even faster,And I’ll bring you a disaster,Take off the mittens, take off the mittens,For they belong to Three Little Kittens.”
“I can travel even faster,
And I’ll bring you a disaster,
Take off the mittens, take off the mittens,
For they belong to Three Little Kittens.”
At this, the Three Little Foxes lost no time you may guess.
They threw the mittens down by the bank of a river near by.
The Little Old Man of the Fire shouted, “Sink or swim, sink or swim,” and hepushed the Three Little Foxes into the river and they had to swim all the way home.
The Little Old Man of the Fire picked up the mittens and washed them nicely, then he took them back home and hung them on the line to dry.
All this time the Three Little Kittens were baking and stewing, and by and by they had a regular Surprise Party meal ready, and all the animals cried, “Hurrah, hurrah, for the Three Little Kittens.”
After they had eaten everything they could lay their paws on, Old Uncle Mouser told stories, and Old Mother Catastrophe said, as the clock struck ten,
“Mother Catastrophe, old and gray,Should start out now on the homeward way.”
“Mother Catastrophe, old and gray,Should start out now on the homeward way.”
“Mother Catastrophe, old and gray,Should start out now on the homeward way.”
“Mother Catastrophe, old and gray,
Should start out now on the homeward way.”
This ended the party, and Old Uncle Mouser got the wheel-barrow, though he looked longingly, at the red plush-lined basket that waited him by the fire.
There was the greatest shaking of paws you ever saw and Grandpa Growler said,
“I’m old and stiff, you may believe,I’ll stay all night now, by your leave.”
“I’m old and stiff, you may believe,I’ll stay all night now, by your leave.”
“I’m old and stiff, you may believe,I’ll stay all night now, by your leave.”
“I’m old and stiff, you may believe,
I’ll stay all night now, by your leave.”
As the guests went home Old Mother Kit-Cat said,
“I really believe my dear little kittens,On the clothes line I see three pairs of mittens.”
“I really believe my dear little kittens,On the clothes line I see three pairs of mittens.”
“I really believe my dear little kittens,On the clothes line I see three pairs of mittens.”
“I really believe my dear little kittens,
On the clothes line I see three pairs of mittens.”
The Three Little Kittens went with a
hop and a skip and a bound to get their mittens and Three Little Foxes came tagging them, as if they were playing hide-and-seek.
The Three Little Kittens cried,
“We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittens,And here they are on a line so dry,We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittensAnd now we will call, Good bye, good bye.”
“We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittens,And here they are on a line so dry,We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittensAnd now we will call, Good bye, good bye.”
“We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittens,And here they are on a line so dry,We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittensAnd now we will call, Good bye, good bye.”
“We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittens,
And here they are on a line so dry,
We are Three Little Kittens who lost our mittens
And now we will call, Good bye, good bye.”
“Not so fast,” said Grandpa Growler, “What will Kit-Cat do with the new mittens she has knit for you?”
Old Mother Kit-Cat said,
“They were made for Kittens, one, two, threeI will put them up on the Christmas tree.”
“They were made for Kittens, one, two, threeI will put them up on the Christmas tree.”
“They were made for Kittens, one, two, threeI will put them up on the Christmas tree.”
“They were made for Kittens, one, two, three
I will put them up on the Christmas tree.”
The Three Little Foxes ran away again for they saw the Little Old Man of the Fire, coming after them, and the Three Little Kittens joined paws and danced round and round in a ring, while The Little Old Man of the Fire said,
“Good bye, good bye,” we say and then,Just open the book and read again.
“Good bye, good bye,” we say and then,Just open the book and read again.
“Good bye, good bye,” we say and then,Just open the book and read again.
“Good bye, good bye,” we say and then,
Just open the book and read again.
The Three Little Kittens cried,
WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,TO READ THIS BOOK I’M SURE YOU’LL TRY.WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,AND NOW WE CALL ‘GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE’.
WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,TO READ THIS BOOK I’M SURE YOU’LL TRY.WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,AND NOW WE CALL ‘GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE’.
WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,TO READ THIS BOOK I’M SURE YOU’LL TRY.WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,AND NOW WE CALL ‘GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE’.
WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,
TO READ THIS BOOK I’M SURE YOU’LL TRY.
WE’RE THREE LITTLE KITTENS WHO FOUND OUR MITTENS,
AND NOW WE CALL ‘GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE’.
The Three Little Kittens ran merrily home in the moonlight, wearing their mittens.